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Alpha Numbers Medals
As the Alpha Numbers are a division of the Earth Federation Army, its members - including civilian contractors - are eligible to be considered for medals of valor and other military decorations. Unit Commendations Unit commendations and campaign medals are awarded to members participating in battles and campaigns judged to be of major significance by commanders of the Earth Federation Army. These are typically awarded to all members of a ship, division or larger force who saw action during the relevant event or campaign. Existing Campaign Medals * White Star Service Medal: Awarded to participants in the Balmarian invasion of NCA 120. Awards of Merit Mention in Dispatches A mention in dispatches is an award given to recognize brave or meritorious service as mentioned in a dispatch from a senior officer to headquarters. While the award does not come with a medal proper, it is still considered recognition of a significant act of gallantry. It also comes with a small monetary award. Ace Wings Ordinarily, pilot wings on the EFA dress and working uniforms are made of a brass laminate. After shooting down five or more enemy aircraft, however, a pilot is considered to be an "Ace," and is entitled to replace the traditional wings with a set embossed in silver. These are typically awarded at the unit level in a small ceremony. The Wounded Lion This is a military decoration awarded to members of the Earth Federation Army who are wounded or killed while serving in combat on active duty. In contrast to similar awards from militaries in the pre-Colony Age, over three quarters of these medals are awarded posthumously; modern mecha combat means most pilots seldom sustain physical injuries unless their machine is destroyed. Many of the non-posthumous awards are for capital ship crew who sustain injuries when their vessel is struck with impact weaponry, or are injured while responding to battle damage. The medal itself is composed of a royal purple ribbon with a thick black stripe running down the middle, from which hangs a roaring lion cast in silver-plated metal. Medals of Valor Order of the Earth Sphere The Order of the Earth Sphere is the highest military decoration awarded to members of the Earth Federation Army, and is awarded to an individual who distinguishes himself or herself with the highest gallantry at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the Earth Federation. Because the Order of the Earth Sphere may only be granted by unanimous vote of the Earth Federation Council, the political arguments that ensue a nomination have meant only a handful of these awards have been awarded in the New Colony Age, all of them posthumously. As a result of information obtained following the return of Top Squadron pilots to the A-LAWS task force, quiet discussions have begun to consider awarding the Order of the Earth Sphere to Admiral Yuzo Takaya, commander of the Exelion, for his role in delaying the STMC attack force until forces could be mustered to repel them. The movement is more widespread in the PLANTs than elsewhere. The medal is (theoretically) worn around the neck, and consists of a deep black ribbon from which hangs a spherical representation of the Earth, as viewed with EFA headquarters at the centre. Distinguished Service Star On paper, the Distinguished Service Star is awarded for actions of significant gallantry at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an enemy combatant that does not quite meet the standards set out for the Order of the Earth Sphere. In practice, the Star is often awarded for actions meriting the Order of the Earth Sphere where the Earth Federation Council was unable to come to a unanimous vote. The members of the Aggressors were each awarded a Distinguished Service Star for their actions during the One Year War, though these were formally revoked from Tempest Hawker, Elzam von Branstein and Sanger Zonvolt following their defection to the Divine Crusaders. The Distinguished Service Star is red ribbon with a golden stripe; the medal itself is a simple five-pointed gold-plated star bearing the Earth Federation logo, with the date of its award stamped into the back. The Alpha Cross Each branch of the EFA military has a service-specific medal that can be awarded on the discretion of the commander for combat actions above and beyond the call of duty that do not merit a higher award. With the creation of the Alpha Numbers, a new such medal is being created to bring the 13th Special Independent Battalion in line with the rest of the Earth Federation Army. The Cross is composed of a sky-blue ribbon and a silver cross with the Greek symbol for 'alpha' at the meeting of the two branches. Recommending Medals Or Other Awards If you want to recommend someone for one of these awards, send an e-mail to alphanumbersmedals - at - gmail - dot - com with the following: *The date and time of the scene where the actions took place. *The person you are nominating. *A link to a log of the scene or poses in which the actions took place. *An IC description of the action is also preferred - refer to any of the publicly-available citations for RL medals of valor for examples of how these can be worded. The e-mail account will be checked periodically, and medal night social scenes will be announced when we have sufficient numbers of successful applicants.